We were waiting for the release of the four journalists, Abdul-Khaleq Omran, Akram Al-Walidi, Tawfiq Al-Mansoori and Harith Hamid who were transferred from the Political Security Prison to the Central Security Prison in October 2020 and promised to be released. The local and international pressures were made to overturn a death sentence issued by the Specialized Criminal Court in Sana’a – which is not competent in press and illegal – on April 11, 2020, after they were abducted in June 2015 from the center of the capital Sana’a. They were subjected to physical and psychological torture, and suffered from many chronic diseases.
Moreover, the families of the four journalists were prevented from visiting them in the Central Security Prison. All what they were allowed to do was to call them from time to time for a period of no more than 10 minutes to request large sums of money and in the presence of Houthi supervisors. More than a month ago,the journalist Abdul-Khaleq Omran was prevented from contacting his family, and his news was completely cut off. .
We, Abductees’ Mothers Association, hold the Houthi group fully responsibility for the lives and safety of journalists.
In front of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Sana’a, we condemn the continued abduction and ill-treatment of them, and we demand the disclosure of the fate of the journalist Abdul Khaliq Omran, who has been forcibly disappeared since late July.
We call on the UN Special Envoy to press for the urgent release of all absucted journalists, and it’s an opportunity for the parties to return to the table of the Sweden agreement on the issue of abductees and detainees.
We appeal to all local and international media and press institutions to put pressure and intensively seek the release of the four journalists and all the abducted and detained journalists, and not to allow their freedom to be used for bargaining under any circumstances.
Issued by Abductees’ Mothers Association,
Monday 13th September 2021